Livestock guardian dogs to protect threatened species and restore habitat

Date: 07, Aug, 2019
Author(s):   Chris Johnson, Michael Magrath, Linda van Bommel, David Williams, Amy Coestee, Greg Kerr, Graeme Coulson
Publisher: TSR Hub

Livestock guardian dogs (LGDs) are conventionally used to protect livestock such as sheep from wild predators, such as foxes. We have shown that LGDs accomplish this by partially excluding foxes from LGD territories, and by suppressing the hunting behaviour of foxes. LGDs also reduce the local activity of over-abundant wild herbivores such as deer and kangaroos. This project will test the value of these effects of LGDs on predators and herbivores to: 1) protect vulnerable native species from invasive predators; and 2) increase the success of ecological restoration by preventing the over-browsing of regenerating plant communities.